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SENIOR SCHOOL
5th Grade Study Visit to Pantanos de Villa
Students of grade 5 spent the morning of the 26th of May at
the Pantanos de Villa wildlife refuge. Wetlands are amongst the
most productive yet threatened habitats on earth and provide
vital benefits to both humans and wildlife alike. On this study
trip students learned about this immense value of wetlands
with the help of experienced guides and afterwards used this
information to reflect on why the site visited was equally as im-
portant, if not more so, than other similar wetlands. Walking
along the trails within the wetland, feeling like you are on top
of a floating island, students were able to observe firsthand the
many different varieties of plants and animals. This was espe-
cially true for the amount of birds seen; species such as cormo-
rant, black vulture and egret were often seen up close in their
natural habitat. By learning about the importance of the wet-
lands not just as habitat for these birds seen on the trip, but
also the thousands of migratory birds that arrive in the summer
after travelling huge distances as far north as Alaska, students
could then appreciate why the refuge was not just crucial to
wildlife locally, but worldwide! All in all, despite the odd scare
from some spiders, the lingering swampy smell and some dir-
ty shoes along the way, the students thoroughly enjoyed their
break away from their normal routine along with gaining valua-
ble lessons about the importance of worldwide wetland con-
servation. All this whilst exploring an internationally recogni-
zed wildlife refuge located practically across the road from the
secondary school campus, an outdoor laboratory at its finest!